Wire stretcher



L. S. BOLD WIRE STRETCHER Sept. 23, 1924.

Filed Sept. 13 1923 Ill l l|l chroma Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

U 1T E ast LEoroLn s. BOLD, or LA. muse, wxsconsm.

WIRE srnn'rcnna.

Application filed September 13, 1923. Serial No. 662,469.

To all whomib may concern:

Be it known that LEOPOLD S. BOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Farge', in the county of Vernon and State of Wisconsin, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a wire stretcher and has for its principal object to provide a device which is especially adapted for use in connection with the splicing of a broken fence wire. v

Another important object of the invention is to provide a wire stretcher of the above mentionedcharacter, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong, durable and further well, adapted. for the purposes for which it is designated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire stretcher of the above mentioned character, which may be easily and quickly adjusted in proper position with respe'ctto the broken strands of wire in order to enable the same to be readily actuated for causing the free ends of the wire to be stretched and spliced.

Other objects and-advantages of this invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part oft-his specification and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the, same z Figure 1 is a view showing my improved wire: stretcher in use,

Figure 2 is a front elevation'of the wire stretcher,

Figure 3 is a side elevation thereof,

Figure 4: is a sec'tiontaken on line 4 1 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Figure- 2, and a Figure 6 is a perspective-view of the claw.

In the drawings-wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown'the preferred embodiment of my inventiongthe numeral '1 designates the elongated lever which isv pro- ,Vide'dwith acentrally located aperture 2 and inwhich is adapted to be supported the reduced neck portion 3 of the enlarged cupshaped member designated generally by the numeral 4;. The cup 4 and the neck portion 3' is provided with a centrally formed aperture 5. The "cup-shaped member 4 has its annular flange 6 provided with notches 7 on-dpposite sides ofthe center thereof extending inwardly from the outer edges thereof. These notches are indicated by the numeral 7 in the drawings and the purposes of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Adapted to extend through the central aperture 5 is the threaded bolt 8 and is pro vided with an enlarged head 9 which is adapted to be seated within the cup-shaped member 4 in a manner as more clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and the purpose of which will also be hereinafter more fully de scribed. The threaded end of the bolt 8 extends through the reduced portion 3 of the cup-shaped member a and through the lever 1 and is adapted to receive the suitable washers 10 and the locking nut 11 whereby the head of the bolt 9 is held in proper position within the cup-shaped member 4:.

Slidably mounted on the lever 1 is the substantially U-shaped member designated generally by the numeral 12 and this U- shaped member 12 has its arms 13 and 14 respectively extending beyond the side edge of the lever 1 and areprovided with registering apertures adjacent their outer ends thereof for the purpose of receiving the elongated reduced portion 15 of the cup member 16. The cup member 16 is substantially of the same construction as the cup member 41 heretofore described and is also adapted to be associated with a locking bolt 17 provided with an enlarged head 18 in a similar manner to the locking bolt 8 and as the construction of the clamping means in connection with the U-shapedmember 12 is of the same construction as that associated with the "aperture 2 of the lever 1, it is not thought neces sary to further go in detail as to the construction of the same it being sufficient to state that the wire clamping means associated with the sliding member 12 is identical with the wire clamping means which is held in a secured position within the aperture 2 of the lever 1.

In use, when it is desired to stretch the free ends of a strand of a broken fence wire in order to splice the ends, the. lever. is held in the position as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and one end of a strand of wire 19 is placed across the upper face of the cupshaped membere so that the wire fits within the registering notches? and the bolt 8 is then inserted in the"cup-shaped member in the manner as heretofore described so that the head portion 9 thereof will engage the shaped member 4 and upon adjusting the lock nut 11 on the threaded end of the bolt 8 the headed portion 9 will be caused to draw the wire downwardly against the base of the cup-shaped member 4 whereby the wire will beheld in a securely clamped position between the head of the bolt 9 and the cupshaped member 4 as more clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and the possibility of the wire becoming disengaged from the wire clamping means will be avoided.

The other end of the broken wire is in a similar mannersecured to the wire clamping means associated with the U-shaped member 12 andis also locked in a similar manner in the cup-shaped member 16. After the free ends of the wire have been securely locked in proper position in the rigid clamping member 4: and the movable clamping member 12, the U-shaped member is thenadjusted along the lever l to a point in close proximity to the wire clamping member 4. After the U-shaped member 12 has been moved to the proper position along the lever 1, the lever is then moved in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 so that the crown portion of the U-shaped member 12 will frictionally engage the rear edge of the lever 1 and bind the same in position thereon so as to prevent the accidental moving of the clamping means associated with the outer ends of the U-shaped member and enable the free ends of the wire to be stretched so as to enable the ends of the wire to be brought together and spliced, in the well known manner. To further aid in joining the wires together any suitable ordinary clamping means maybe used in conjunction with the wire stretcher.

In this manner the broken ends of a wire strand'may be readily and quickly stretched and spliced andthe action of the stretching element will at all times assure the proper stretching of the wire in order to accomplish the necessary results. The simplicity in which the broken ends of the wire may be readily united furthermore enables the wire stretcher to be used in a manner which will save considerable time and labor and at the same time assure the proper results.

"*VVhen it is desired to stretch one end of a wire after the same has been used for a considerable length of time and has sagged, I

with anangular extension 22 which extends adjacent one of the side edges of the lever 1 and this angular extension 22 is split longitudinally as shown at 23 andthe free end of the split extension isbent outwardly where- .to provide substantially .aV-shaped slot into. which may be inserted the strand of wire. This will enable the tool to be readily operated. This angular extension 22 may furthermore be termed a claw and in use, the strand of Wire to 'bestretched is inserted in the wedge-shaped slot 23 by having the free ends of the lever 1 engaging the'fence post or other suitable object to which the strand of wire is fastened and a downward pull exerted on the lever will cause the wire to become stretched and the same may be held in such a position until stapled to the fence post in a well known manner. To furthermore enable the strand of wire to be held in position within the claw while the same is being stretched, thefree end of the wire may be wrapped around bolts 21 which support the plate 20 on the lever 1 by loosening the lock nut 25. p It will thus be seen from the foregoing, that a wire stretcher has been provided which may be used for a numberof various purposes and will frictionally stretch the wire to the desired degree in order to enable the same to be readily operated'upon. From the foregoing description of the con struction of my improved-apparatus, it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carryingout the objects of the invention, and while I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions setforth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A wire stretcher comprising an elongated lever, a wire clamping member carried by said lever, said wire clamping member including a cup-shaped member having a central aperture therein, a bolt having its head seated in said cupshaped member and its shank passing through said aperture, a lock nut therefor, said cup-shaped member provided with notches in the annular flange thereof, to receive the free end of a wire, said bolt having of the class described 1 its head portion engaging the portion of r the wire extending across said cup-shaped member to clamp the same thereon.

2. A wire" stretcher of the class described comprising an elongated lever, a wire clamping member detachably secured thereon, a second wire clamping 'member "slidably mounted on said lever, each wire clamping member including a cup-shaped member having an annular flange provided with notches arranged on opposite sides of the center of said cup shaped member, said cupshaped member having a central aperture adapted to receive athreaded bolt, the head of said bolt adapted to be seated in said cupshaped member and also engage the Wire extending acrossthecup-shaped member in the notches thereof to clamp the Wire in said cup-shaped member, and a locking nut carried on the threaded end of said bolt for locking the head of the bolt in engagement With the Wire.

3. A Wire stretcher of the class described comprising an elongated lever provided With an aperture therein, a Wire clamping member including a cup-shaped member and having a reduced neck portion receivable in said aperture, means for securing said cupshaped member on said lever, a second Wire clamping member slidably mounted on said lever, the latter including a substantially U- shaped member having its arms embracing said lever and the outer ends thereof extending beyond the side edges of said lever, said U-shaped member provided With registering apertures adjacent the outer ends thereof for receiving one clamping means, and means for securing the same therein.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEOPOLD S. BOLD. 

